Costa Rica amends its cannabis legalization plan

Costa Rican government prepares to present alternative text for its cannabis legalization project for adults, after obtaining feedback from various institutions, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Costa Rican Institute of Drugs (ICD).

Natalia Díaz, Minister of the Presidency, has stated that the legislation will be drawn up in coordination between these entities and will include the general observations made by various institutions.

«We will include the general observations that several institutions have made. The idea is to present a new project to solve the problems,» she commented.

If the legalization project goes ahead, «companies that grow or industrialize cannabis for recreational purposes will be able to operate under the free zone regime. Consumers will be able to go to discotheques, cafés and other businesses to buy these products», according to local media.

Roy Thompson, President of the Costa Rican Hemp and Cannabis Council, has indicated that the recreational cannabis market could generate between $15 and $20 billion in sales per year.

The main objections to the project come from medical or legal associations - the Organisme d'investigation judiciaire (OIJ), the Medical Association, the College of Psychiatrists, the Institut de l'alcoolisme et de la toxicomanie (IAFA) - and the Church

The Episcopal Association is firmly opposed to the legalization of cannabis.

«The benefits this project could bring are hypothetical and not based on solid foundations. On the other hand, science has consistently demonstrated the widespread harms of cannabis use,» she pointed out.